New Acquisitions

BY COLIN DENNY

Donation offers continue to arrive and many objects have been accepted. If artefacts do not meet our collection criteria they are often taken and passed on to more suitable institutions. This is important so that our Museum meets the objective of promoting an understanding of the maritime heritage of Tasmania.

Recent acquisitions have included family collections of maritime memorabilia, books, photographs, and documents. The HMAS Derwent collection was enhanced when a former crew member donated his uniform worn when lowering the flag to decommission the ship. It will supplement the HMAS Derwent cabin display.

A Moth scow-type dinghy was among the other donations and is currently in storage elsewhere while we upgrade our Cambridge warehouse racking for our dinghy collection.

‘SS Ionic’ by Henry Warn Wilson (watercolour painting)

The watercolour of the SS Ionic is significant not only for the subject but also because the artist, Henry W Wilson, founded the Shiplover’s Society of Tasmania a precursor of the Maritime Museum.

Wilson’s painting depicts Ionic anchored in the Derwent unloading onto lighters when here in 1888. Research by Jonothan Davis notes that the lighter alongside is the ex-barque Phoenix built in 1867 and the O’May steamer Success is there to tow lighters. The White Star flag can be seen at the Ionic’s masthead.

Henry W Wilson gained the idea of forming the Shiplovers' Society after reading about the Shiplovers' League in London. Later he decided to form a Tasmanian Shiplovers' Society and called for help from Harry O'May, well-known ferryman and maritime historian. In 1931 the Society was formed.

The prominent Hobart businessman worked as an insurance executive for more than 50 years. His obituary in September 1940 noted, ‘watercolour painting was Mr Wilson’s chief recreation, and he was a councillor of the Arts Society of Tasmania’.